The family that plays together...

I learned that the parade began 20 years ago with “six people walking down to the corner displaying a flag,” and that Dill continues annually to open his home to an ever growing family of friends and neighbors (the crowd was huge!) who flock to his gorgeous property to take part in the festivities. More than 50 classic cars, the Mountain Tones Marching Band and the Sullivan County Soap Box Derby winners joined the vendors, face painters, fire baton dancers and Karate demonstrators, along with entertainment provided by the “Little Sparrow” band and country crooners “Somerville,” who took time out of their busy Nashville recording schedule to assist in raising funds for the Livingston Manor Free library in this year’s parade, aptly themed “Cars, Crafts and Country.”

According to one of the many Dills, patriarch Steve claims that he “won’t be doing it again, unless he can get an elephant,” since he is tired and has been at it for so long. I may be a new member of this particular family, but don’t believe it for a moment. In fact, I’ve already placed a few calls to some of my circus friends, since I refuse to allow this amazing family tradition to fade away. I don’t think this guy means it—his heart is clearly as big as all outdoors. I have a feeling that his kinfolk won’t let that happen either, since the family that plays together...

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Jonathan Fox currently lives in Sullivan County. Having written for film and television, he now concentrates his efforts on novels, plays and assorted periodicals, along with his weekly "Humble Opinion" on life in the Catskills.